THE IMPACT OF CHICAGO’S SMALL HIGH SCHOOL INITIATIVE：
链接：
http://www.nber.org/papers/w18889.pdf?new_window=1

摘要：
This project examines the effects of the introduction of new small high schools on student performance
in the Chicago Public School (CPS) district. Specifically, we investigate whether students attending
small high schools have better graduation/enrollment rates and achievement than similar students who
attend regular CPS high schools. We show that students who choose to attend a small school are more
disadvantaged on average. To address the selection problem, we use an instrumental variables strategy
and compare students who live in the same neighborhoods but differ in their residential proximity
to a small school. In this approach, one student is more likely to sign up for a small school than another
statistically identical student because the small school is located closer to the student’s house and therefore
the “cost” of attending the school is lower. We find that small schools students are substantially more
likely to persist in school and eventually graduate. Nonetheless, there is no positive impact on student
achievement as measured by test scores. The finding of no test score improvement but a strong improvement
in school attainment is consistent with a growing literature suggesting that interventions aimed at older
children are more effective at improving their non-cognitive skills than their cognitive skills.